Method and apparatus for refining lubricating oil in hydrocarbon motors



Aug. 20, 1929. w. B. CLJFFORD v A I 1,725,392

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING LUBRICATING OIL IN HYDROCARBON MOTORSFiled May 16. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l t- 9. I w. B. CLIFFORD 2 ,392

m0!) AND APPARATUS FOR RBFINING LUBRICA'IING OIL IN HYDROQARBON IOI'ORS,

Filed lay 16, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fill/6121 02: Zliztzwss:

mungon -41 W H/Y S Aug. 20, 1929. w. B. CLIFFORD METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR REFINING LUBRIGATING OIL IN HYDROGARBON MOTORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed May 16, 1924 Aug, 20, 1929. w. a. CLIFFORD METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR REFINING LUBRICAT ING OIL IN HYDROCARBON IOTORS Filedllay 16, 1924 4Sheets-Sheet 4 V f J Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

WALTER B. CLIFFORD, OF FBAIINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLIF-FORD CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA-CHUSETTS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING LUBRICATING OIL IN HYDROCARBON MOTORS.

Application filed Kay 16,

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus designed for therefining and purification of lubricating oils more particularly employedin connection with the refining of the lubricating oil during theoperation of a hydrocarbon motor.

The maintenance of lubricating oil free from contamination with gasolineand water is a matter of great importance in the present day operationof hydrocarbon motors. It will be self-evident to those skilled in theart that the pollution of the lubricating oil with a relatively smallpercentage of gasoline or kerosene may seriously impair the lubricatingproperties. This dilution in the usual and ordinary operation of aninternal combustion motor-,-especially in a. motor vehicle, may occuralmost immediately after a fresh charge of oil has been introduced intothe crank-case, due to one or more of several causes. The failure of thediluted oil to properly perform its expected function causes rapiddeterioration of the moving parts and may result in actual failure ofthe motor, through burned out bearings. Various attempts have been madeto avoid pollution of the lubricating oil with gasoline by insuring acomplete'vaporization and combustion of the gasoline, more particularlyin cold weather. In no case however, is it possible to prevent a greateror less dilution of the lubricating oil with a gasoline content.

Even though vaporization in the combustion chamber may be substantiallycomplete, the leakage of the vapor past the piston during thecompression stroke of the motor with a subsequent condensation of thevapor in the crank-case will cause substantial dilution.

The extent of this dilution may in part be affected by the capacity ofthe lubricating oil for absorption of gasoline or kerosene. The entranceof water into the crank-case, which inevitably takes place, is also aserious factor to be contended with. The water mixing with the oil formsan emulsion which collects in the crank-case as a sludgy mass and if notremoved interferes with the circulation of the oil and its lubricatingproperties. The water may also freeze and interfere seriously with thecirculation of the .oil. Aside from 1924; Serial not 713,857.

seriously depreciating the lubricating qualities of the oil withconsequent deterioration of the motor, the presence of diluents andwater in the lubricating oil necessitates replacement of the oil after amuch shorter period of use than would otherwise be necessary, as undernormal conditions the lubricating roperties of the oil depreciate verylittle with a relatively long period of use.

The object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod and apparatus for maintaining lubricating oil substantially freefrom contamination with water and gasoline or other diluents during thecontinued use of the oil for lubricating the h drocarbon motor.

A fi irther object of the invention is to provide a simple andrelatively compact form of apparatus which may be readily attached toexisting forms of internal combustion motors and which does notinterfere with the normal and usual operation of the motor.

With these and other objects in view, one feature of the inventioncontemplates subjecting relatively small quantities of lubricating oilto a distilling operation carried out within predetermined temperaturelimits sufficient y high to distill off the water and gasoline .withoutbreaking up or impairing the lubricating oil, the passage of oil throughso the distilling chamber being governed and controlled by thetemperature of the chamher in such a nanner that when the temperature ofthe chamber is below a point at which distillation-of the gasoline andwater content is effected the flow'of oil is cut 011.

' A further feature of the invention contemplates the provision of adistilling or vaporizing chamber heated from the exhaust of the motor,and means for supplying lubricating oil from the motor to the chamber inquantities governed by the amount of heat imparted to the oil in thechamber from-the exhausttgases for the purpose of insuri that all oil'passing through the distilling chamber shall be raised to apredetermined distilling range.

A still further feature of the invention contemplates the provision of amechanism I for simply and e ectively varying the dis- 1 tillingtemperature to which oil passing through the distilling chamber issubjected.

Still further features of the invention consist in certain novelfeatures of construction, combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will beobvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of theinvention Fig. 1 represents a side elevation'of a hydrocarbon motor withthe improved refining apparatus attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a front endelevation of the motor and attachment shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is asection in el ivation of the distilling apparatus; F ig. 4 is a detailillustrating a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 and Fig.5 is a top'plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4. i

In the preferred method described and illustrated, the lubricating oilis pumped fromthe crank-case into a distilling or vaporizing chamberlocated adjacent to the exhaust of the motor. The exhaust is bypassedabout theyaporizing chamber heating it to a temperature sufiicientlyhigh to accomplish the desired distillation of the gasoline and water.Located within the vaporizing chamber is a thermostatic regulator orcontrol vwhich is designed to normally maintain the. oil intake closedexcept when the temperature within the chamberis raised to thedistilling point. Thereafter the regulatorfunctions to open the intakevalve and permit a discharge of lubricating oilby the pump into thechamber. This continues until the flow of relatively cooler oil throughthe chamber with an accompanying vaporization of gasoline and waterlowers the temperature of the chamber to a predetermined limit, when theregulator automatically closes the intake and maintains it closed untilthe temperature is elevated to the desified 'point. It will thus beevident that the volume of-oil passing through the distilling chamber isvaried in accordance with theamount of exhaustheat usefully employed inraising the'temperature of the oil in the distilling chamber. The returnof the purifiedand refinedlubri'cating oil to the crank-case isaccomplished by gravity. The distilling of the oil within the vaporizingchamber is, carried out at atmospheric pressure or substantiallyatmospheric pressure and the products of distillationmay be dischargedinto the atmosphere, into a condenser, or into the carbureter, asdesired.

lation is obtained. Althoughthese tempera-l ture limits appear to beamply high for the purpose of distilling off gasoline and water vapors,nevertheless it should be understood by those skilled in the art thatunder certain conditions and with certain types of lubri- Referring'moreparticularly to the accompanying drawings, a hydrocarbon motor ofconventional type is indicated generally at 10. This motor is providedwith the usual crank-case 12 having an oil pipe 14 leading from thecrank-case and connected with a circulating pump not shown. Asindicated, the oil pipe 14 communicates with a pressure gage locatedupon the dash of the motor vehicle. This pipe conveniently serves as aconnection for a pipe 16 leading into the upper portion of a vaporizerindicated generally at 20. It will be obvious that with thisconstruction the lubricating oil is maintained within the pipe 16 at apressure determined by the circulating pump. The vaporizing assembly 20,as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, may be secured to the side of themotor adjacent the upper portion and in convenient proximity to theexhaust manifold 25.

In the present form of motor, the exhaust manifold extends lengthwise ofthe upper portion of the motor and thence downwardly and rearwardly, asshown at 26. The vaporizing assembly is connected adjacent the end ofthe exhaust manifold where the 190 exhaust gases are presumably thehottest. Referring more particularly to the detail construction shown inFig. 3, it will be observed thatthe vaporizing assembly is provided.with an annular heating chamber 30 1 which communicates directly withthe exhaust passage 32 through a communicating pipe 34, the volume ofexhaust which passes into the annular heating chamber being determinedby an opening 36 formed in a gasket or washer 38 interposed between theexhaust manifold-and the vaporizing assembly; Through the provision ofwashers or gaskets having suitably designed openings of diflerent sizes,the volume of exhaust passing into the heating chamber may be controlledin such a manner that the same vaporizing unit may besuccessfully-applied to motors of different sizes anddifferentcharacteristics. As will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 3, thevaporizing unit comprises essentially a casting 40 having the annularheating chamber 30 formed therein and In practice it has beenv foundthat if oil is substantially surrounding an inner vaporizing chamber 42,the heating chamber being completely separated from the vaporizingchamber through the rovision of an inte gral web or Wall 44. he hotexhaust gases after circulating freely about the annular heating chamberare discharged through an opening at the bottom portion of the castingcommunicating with an exhaust pipe 46. As indicatedclearly in Fig.4,this exhaust passage may extend rearwardly as a separate member or mayenter the main exhaust indicated at 26. The oil pipe 16 communicateswith the top of the vaporizing chamber through a sleeve 50 which isthreaded in a cap 52 secured by bolts 54 to the top portion of thecasting 40. The sleeve 50 by, virtue of its threaded connection with thecap 52 may be adjusted lengthwise of the chamber and is retained inadjusted position through a lock nut 56 surrounding the sleeve andadapted to clamp against the upper portion of the ca The intake end ofthe oil pipe 16 is indicated as tapped directly into the sleeve,although in actual practice the, end of the pipe might be connected tothe sleeve through the provision of a union. The interior of the sleeve50 is provided with a vertical oil passage of ample size, which isclosed at its lower end by a ball valve 60 retained upon a valve seat 62through a coiled spring 64 mounted within the passage and interposedbetween theend of the oil pipe and a positioning stud 66. The seat forthe ball valve is formed upon the upper end of a hollow plug or sleeve68 threadedly connected to the lower end of the sleeve 50 and forming acontinuation of the oil passage below the valve, the lower end of thesleeve 68 discharging centrally into the vaporizing chamber 42 in amanner which will be evident. The flow of oil into the vaporizingchamber is controlled in accordance with the temperature of the chamber,this control being efi'ected through a thermostatic regulator whichoperates'to raise the ball valve and admit oil when the temperature ofthe chamberis elevated to a predetermined point. To this end, athermostatic regulator of the bellows type is indicated at 70, this reulator consisting of a seamless corrugated s ell of copper or similarmaterial having a liquid tight seal at opposite ends andpreferablyfilled, as indicated in Fig. 3, with lubricating oil havingcharacteristics similar to the oil under treatment. The thermostaticregulator is fixedly connected at its lower end to a head 72 which isconveniently supported upon the cap 52 by a plurality of rods 74. Asindicated more particularly in Fig. 5, the head '(2 is in the form of across having a series of radiating arms which, are attached to the lowerends of the-rods, the openings between; the arms affording ample passagefor a free circulation of lubricating oil. The lower portion of theregulator is provided with a cap 76 having a stem 7 8 which is securedrigid y to the head 72. The cap 80' formed upon the upper portion of theregulator is provided with an elongated stem 82 which extends upwardlywithin the opening formed in the plug 68 to a'point below the ball check60. After an expansion of the bellows control equivalent to the desiredrise in temperature,

the stem 82 contacts with and raises the ball 60 from its seat,permitting the discharge of limit, when the contraction of the regulatorpermits the ball to return to its seat and cut, off further fiowof oiluntil the temperature is again elevated. The action of the regulatorproduces an intermittent but more or less regular flow of oil as the,temperature within the chamber rises and falls. The advantage of such amethod of control resides in the fact that oil is not passed through thevaporizing chamber except when the temperature of the chamber ismaintained at 85 the desired distilling range and if the temperature ofthe incoming oil is such as to lower the temperature of the chamberimmediately then further flow of oil is revented. Except by such amethod of control, it is impossible to attain the desired result, asotherwise the flow of cold oil will lower the temperature of the chamberbelow the distilling point and relatively large (pliantities of oil maybe passed through the c amber without being refined. It will be evidentthat the temperature limits at which the check valve is ppened andclosed canbe adjusted by threading the sleeve 50 in or out of the head52, this change in location of the sleeve varying the separation betweenthe valve 60 and the upper end of the stem 82 and in consequence thepoint at which the stem will raise the valve from its seat. The

oil is maintained within the chamber at apm5 proximately the levelindicated in Fig. 3 through the provision of a dam indicated at 90 overwhich the oil, spills during the operation of the vaporizer and thencedownwardly into a return pipe 92, which may conveniently enter the sideof the upper filler pipe 93. The dam 90 is formed as an integral webwithin a casting 94 which is bolted to the side of the casting 40, theinterior of the casting 94 being connected with the bottom portion ofthe vaporizing chamber through a large passage 96. The casting 94 may beprovided with a hinged cap portion 98 to observe whether or not oil isdischarging over the dam andv thus check up on the oper- 12 ation of theunit. The bottom of the vaporizing chamber may be provided with asediment chamber or sump 100"from which sediment may be dischargedthrough a petcock 102. During the operation of the unit,

gasoline and water vaporis driven off from the bod of oil containedwithin the vaporizing c amber and discharges outwardly through a vent pie tapped into the upper portion of t e chamber. This vent no lubricatingoil free from gasoline and water content. In a typical installation in awell known and conventional type of motor, the

' check valve is opened when the temperature within the vaporizingchamber reaches 300- F. and permits the discharge of oil into thechamber until the temperature drops to 270 F. It is found that in thenormal operation of the motor the discharge of oil through the chamberis intermittent and takes place at regular intervals, In a given testthe volume of flow was suflicient to cause a complete circulation of allof the oil in the crank-case, about six quarts, through the refiningapparatus in a period of approximately sixty minutes. Obviously therapidity of flow of the oil through the refining apparatuswill depend toa considerable extent upon the temperature of the incoming lubricatingoil, this temperature in turn depending upon outside temperatures andupon the length of time during which the motor is operated. Longcontinued tests with this type of apparatus have demonstrated that theoil is maintained substantially free from water and gasoline content andthat the viscosity and lubricating properties even with long continueduse are not impaired sufficiently to necessitate replacement of the oil.Aside from the saving in the use of lubricating oil effected by such amethod and apparatus, the resulting benefit to the moving part-s of themotor, due to the employment of proper lubrication, is inestimable.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that if the flow of oilthrough the vaporizing chamber is not too great, the operation of theapparatus may be continuous during the operation of the motor. In otherwords, after the initial operation of the motor has raised thetemperature of the vaporizing chamber to a point at which thethermostatic regulator opens the oil valve, then the heat suppliedthrough the exhaust gases may be sufficient to maintain the temperatureof the vaporizing chamber continuously at the desired point with oilflowing continuously therethrough;

It has been found in actual practice that the thermostatic regulatorshould be adjusted to maintain the temperature of the vaporizing chamberat limits approximating or slightly below the flash point of. thelubrieating oil. B this method, all, or substantially all, of t egasoline content is removed from the oil. If a materially lowertemperature is employed, there may be a gradual accumulation of theheavy tails from the gasoline and the oil which eventually serve todepreciate the lubricating properties.

1. An internal combustion motor compris-v ing a casing having adistilling chamber formed therein, means for directing hot exhaust gasesabout the distilling chamber, means controlled by the temperature withinthe distilling chamber for withholding the supply of oil thereto untildistilling temperature is reached, and means for permitting thedischarge of oil from the chamber adapted to maintain a'substantially.constant level within the chamber.

2. An-internal combustion motor comprising a casing having a distillingchamber formed therein, means for heating the distilling chamber fromthe motor exhaust, a head removably connected to the casing and closingthe distilling chamber, a lubricant control valve connected to the head,a thermostatic regulator supported by the heaspl and adapted to belocated within the di tilling chamber when the head is assembled withthe casing, and operative connections between the regulator and valvefor controlling the position of thevalve in accordance with thetemperature within the distilling chamber.

3.. An internal combustion motor comprising a casing, a distillingchamber formed therein, means for directing hot exhaust gases about thedistilling chamber, an overfiow chamber, a passage of large crosssection connecting the lower portion of the distilling chamber with theoverflow chamber, a lubricant supply Valve located in the upper portionof the distilling chamber, and a thermostatic control connected with thesupply valve to control the latter in accordance with the temperature inthe distilling chamber.

4. An internal combustion motor comprising an elongated distillingchamber, means for supplying lubricant to the upper portion of thechamber, a valve located in the lubricant supply, an expansiblethermostatic control located in the distilling chamher and extendinglengthwise, and an operating stem connected to. the control and designedto open the valve when the control is expanded to a predetermined point,correspondingto a predetermined distilling temperature within thechamber.

5. An internal combustion motor comprising a distilling chamber,,meansfor conducting lubricant to and from the chamber, means for heating thechamber from the exhaust, means for stopping the supply of lubricant tothe chamber when the temperature therein drops to below predetermineddistilling limit and for renewing the supply when the temperature risesabove a predetermined distilling limit, and means for varying thetemperature limits at which the lubricant supply is ,regulated.

6. An internal combustion motor comprising a distilling chamber with hotexhaust, means for heatin the chamber, means for maintaininga bo y ofoil in the lower portion of the chamber, a thermostatic control locatedin the body of oil, an oil delivery passage communicating with thechamber, a valve located in the passage, a stem rojecting from thecontrol and adapte" to prising a distilling chamber, means for heatingthe chamber through the exhaust gases fromthe motor, a thermostatlocatedin the chamber, a removable head closing the upper portion of thechamber and supporting the thermostat to permit access to the thermostatupon removal of the head, and an oil admission valve controlled by thethermostat to regulate the admission of oil in accordance .with thetemperature within the chamber.

11. An internal combustion motor comprising a distilling chamber, meansfor heating the chamber through the exhaust gases from the motor, abellows thermostat supported in the chamber, an oil admission valve'andconnections between the thermostat and oil admission valve for openingthe valve to admit oil onl when the tem erature of the oil within t echamber reac es a predetermined distillin point.

open the valve at a predetermined distilling 12, An internal com ustionmotor co range and means for varying the distilling range at which thevalve opens.

7. The method of removing vaporizable diluents from the lubricating oilof an internal combustion motor, which includes delivering relativelysmall quantities of oil to a distilling chamber heated from the exhaustgases from the motor only after the temperature within the chamber hasreached a predetermined distilling ran e, and thereafter varying thesupply of oi delivered to the chamber in accordance generally withvariations in the heat of the exhaust gases usefully emplo ed in heatingthe oil in the chamber in or er to insure the maintenance of apredetermined distilling temperature of all Oll passing through thechamber.

8. An internal combustion motor comprising a distilling chamber, a valvecontrolling communicationv with the chamber, a thermostat located in thechamber and connected with the valve to permit admission of fresh oil tothe chamber when the oil in the chamber has substantially reacheddistilling temperature, and to thereafter permit a continuance of theoil fiow only so long as the temperature within the chamber is main--tained within the distilling range, means for heating the chamber withexhaust gases from the motor, means for permitting the withdrawal ofvapor from the chamber and means for varying the distilling range atwhich oil flow through the chamber is permitted'.

9. An internal combustion motor comprising a distilling chamber, meanscapable of constantly delivering oil to the chamber during the operationof the motor, and a thermostatically controlled valve constructed andarranged to permit the admission of oil to the chamber only when thetemperature of oil within the chamber is within a predetermineddistilling range.

10, An internal combustion motor comprising a distilling chamber, meansfor main taining a substantially constant level of oil within thechamber, means for permitting the withdrawal of vapor from the upperportion of the chamber, a thermostatically controlled valve for-withholding the oil until the temperature reaches distilling range, andfor thereafter regulating the admission of oil to the chamber in amanners to maintain a predetermined distilling tem; perature of I oilwithin the chamber, and means for varying the predetermined distillingrange.

13. An internal combustion motor, comprising a distilling chamber, anoil delivery pipe communicating with. the circulating system of themotor, an oil admission valve controlling communication with thechamber, and normally maintained closed, a thermostat immersed in oilwithin the chamber, connections between the thermostat and valve formoving the valve in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of oilto admit oil to the chamber when the temperature of oil within thechamber has reached a predetermined distilling range.

14. An internalcombustion motor comprising a distilling chamber, meansfor heating the distilling chamber, a thermostat adapted to undergo acontinuous change throughout the entire range of temperature betweennormal inoperative temperatures of the motor and distilling temperature,and

an oil admission valve operated by the,

thermostat to delay the admission of oil into the distilling chamberuntil the temperature of oil within the chamber has reached thedistilling range and to thereafter open with comparative rapidity toadmit oil whenthe distilling temperature is exceeded.

15. An internal combustion motor "comprising an upright distillingchamber of comparatively small diameter, means for passing hot exhaustgases about the distilling chamber throughout the major portion ofitsdength, a thermostat located within the distilling chamber extendinglengthwise thereof, means for supporting the thermo- 5 stat from theupper portion of the chamber, an oil admission passage communicatingwith the chamber, and a valve opened by the thermostat to admit freshoil to the chamber only when the oil within the chamber is Within apredetermined distilling range. 10

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER B. CLIFFORD.

